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'E-Week' will feature speakers, competition

By Margaret Wade '08
April 11, 2008

The St. Olaf College Center for Experiential Learning will present Entrepreneurship Week -- better known as "E-Week" -- April 15-18 to promote creativity and innovation.

The sixth annual E-Week will focus on how innovative entrepreneurs can make a social difference. E-Week events include a business plan competition, a presentation by Finnegans Brewery President Jacquie Berglund, distinguished panelists who will speak on starting ventures that solve social problems, and an opportunity to learn more about the entrepreneurial ventures of students.

"We have a number of fun events and speakers that will showcase the variety of ways that innovation and creativity can add value and change lives," says Sian Muir, associate director of entrepreneurial studies.

OleVentures Business Plan Pitch Competition
Students will have to quickly convey why their business plan is the best during an "elevator pitch" competition on Tuesday, April 15, from 6-8 p.m. in Viking Theater. The idea behind the "elevator pitch" is that students should be able to convince an investor in three minutes, or roughly the time it takes to ride in an elevator, to fund their business idea. The most innovative pitch will win $300.

Distinguished judges for the competition include: Sean Benson '90, co-founder and vice president of technology for ProVation Medical, a company that creates software for the medical industry; Jodi Hubler, managing director of Lemhi Ventures, a venture capital firm specializing in health-care services; and William McCormack '69, executive vice president of Schwan's Food Company.

Braulick Speaker: Jacquie Berglund
Jacquie Berglund, co-founder and president of Finnegans Brewery, will speak in Viking Theater from 7-8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16. Berglund, a social entrepreneur, created Finnegans with the idea of giving 100 percent of the profits generated by the locally brewed beer to charity.

"Jacquie has a wonderful story on how she has built a great business while donating 100 percent of the profits back to the community," Muir says. The money generated is used to fund community programs assisting those in poverty.

In previous years, E-Week has hosted speakers such as Steven Schussler, the founder of the Rainforest Cafe, and Michael Coles, then the CEO of Caribou Coffee.

Social Entrepreneurship Panel
A panel discussion on how to start ventures that solve social problems will be held on Thursday, April 17, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Viking Theater, Buntrock Commons. Distinguished panelists with economic, social, and/or environmental success in for-profit and non-profit ventures include: Mark Crea, executive director of Feed My Starving Children; Clea Dezio, development director at the Cookie Cart; and Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin with Latino Enterprise.

Finstad Grant Marketplace
A marketplace to showcase the entrepreneurial ventures of innovative Oles will be held Friday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Buntrock Commons Crossroads. Winners of the Finstad Entrepreneurial Grant, which is awarded to students for entrepreneurial projects with social and economic potential, will discuss their business endeavors. There will be a great deal of apparel and other products available.

Contact Kari VanDerVeen at 507-786-3970 or vanderve@stolaf.edu.